Ephesdammim

E'phes-dam'mim (Heb. E'phes Dammim', דִּמַּים אֶפֶס, appar. boundary of blood; Sept. Α᾿φεσδομίν or Α᾿φεσδομμείν v.r. Ε᾿φερμόν, Vulg. fines Dommin), a place in the tribe of Judah between Shochoh and Azekah, where the Philistines were encamped when David fought with Goliath (1Sa 17:1). The similar, but not parallel passage (1Ch 11:13), has the shorter form Pas-Dammim. The name was probably derived from its being the scene of frequent sanguinary encounters between Israel and the Philistines. On his way from Beit-Jibrin to Jerusalem, Van de Velde came past a ruined site on the high northward-looking brow of wady Musur, about one hour E. by S. of Beit-Netif, called Khirbet Damun, which he has no doubt represents the ancient Ephes-Dammim, and "which fixes the place of the camp of Goliath just at its foot, where the valley contracts, and may, indeed, be called the pass [or extremity] of Dammim" (Memoir, page 290). In that case the narrative of 1 Samuel 17, becomes plain: "the gorge" (הִגִּיא) between the battle-lines of the two armies (verse 3), and along which the first rout and pursuit occurred (verse 52), was no other than the wady Musur itself, which is so narrow immediately at this spot. SEE ELAH (VALLEY OF).

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.